Joshua Kane, a descendant of Holocaust survivors and a veteran of the Israeli army, is stuck in an unfulfilling corporate job where, although making fairly decent money (31k in 1987 is 80k in 2022) he constantly feels that he is not living up to his potential.

His beautiful wife Joan comes from a wealthy Philadelphia family from the Main Line area and seems satisfied with the state of their marriage.

After a few days of tortured rationalizing, and big trouble at Josh’s place of employment, they accept the offer.

Josh sees Joan exit from the Versailles hotel, observes her resolve and unflinching will to see this though, and then checks into a nearby cheaper hotel that his “good friend” Sy comps for him.

Turns out this "good friend” served Josh and Joan up to Ibrahim on a silver platter so that he could land the high-roller at his own casino.

Joan talks of putting a hedge around their marriage and reads books on getting the love back into their relationship and another on suicide.

Josh moves back to Israel and in an attempt to leave the past behind joins the Navy.

Joan surprises him at the end of the novel by finding him there and saying that she wants to continue fighting for their relationship.

[1] A musical version by Dylan Schlosberg and Michael Conley is scheduled to open at London's Southwark Playhouse.